Drag Me to Hell ... praised by critics, hated by movie-goers

I finally got around to watching thiscontroversial horror-thriller from 2009 ... and as someone who has seen their fair share of these types of films, I just had to say ...

Drag Me to Hell is a perfect example of why CRITICS know what the hell (pun intended) they're talking about, whereas moron movie-goers should just STFU.

This is one of those rare instances where the critics are the ones who praise a film (I mean, holy crap ... this film has like a 96% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes) while the general public completely pans it.

After seeing this film, I can definitely say without a shadow of a doubt that all of the critics are absolutely, 100% correct. This is easily one of the greatest horror-thrillers of all time, the scariest horror-thriller of all time, and by far the most well-directed horror-thriller of all time.

It's amazing how many people claimed that this film wasn't "scary" at all, when in fact they were probablywetting their pants everytime something popped out out of nowhere after the misdirection/suspenseful build-up that happens throughout the entire movie. Cheap? Maybe. Does it work? Absolutely.

This film now ties with The Mist as being my two favorite horror-thrillers of all time.

And it's amazing that there are people so stupid as to actually think that is a COMEDY. Wow. Just wow. Yes, the film is disgusting as hell, but how in the hell does that make this tense, horrific, make youpee your damn pants thriller a comedy?!

A great example of why critics are the only ones who should be making any comments about anything.Instead of people who wouldn't know "good" from "bad" if their damn soul depended on it (another intended pun).

These are just a few reviews (out of SEVERAL) from critics praising the film the way it deserves to be praised:

http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20281263,00.html

http://www.filmthreat.com/index.php?section=reviews&Id=11751

http://online.wsj.com/article/film_review.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-et-drag29-2009may29,0,4792297.story

http://www.washingtonpost.com/gog/movies/drag-me-to-hell,1152160.html

Nearly ten major critics (from Entertainment Weekly to the Washington Post) gave this film a PERFECT score. Personally, I wouldn't give it higher than a 90/100 or a 9.0 out of 10 ... but it really sickens me to read what many of the movie-goers have said about this film.

All those comments have done is prove just how stupid most people really are.

It was a good movie, but Evil Dead 2 is better in every facet.

or maybe the critics are 100% wrong, but you just agree with them? aren't opinions fun.

It was a good movie, but Evil Dead 2 is better in every facet.

LostProphetFLCL

I'd agree with that, although Drag Me to Hell was still really good.

Still, I had no idea that Drag Me to Hell was panned by the general public - I know one person who didn't like it, but she's abnormally judgemental about everything so I didn't pay her much attention. Were people just not expecting a quirky horror-comedy?

I enjoyed it.

That movie sucked, there were a couple scares to be had, but that was all.

The Mist was alright.

Both of the endings killed those movies for me.

I haven't gotten the chance to see the entire movie but the bits and pieces that I did see were really cliche and poorly done imo. Especially like the last 15 minutes or so. I don't want to spoil the ending for anyone, but I was seriously lmao and frustrated at the same time just watching it unfold. I can't say for sure how good or bad it is until I watch it all the way through, but I def don't have high hopes for the rest of it.

What about Crash? Pretty much universally praised by the critics, yet it's widely regarded as one of the most underving Oscar films in the history of cinema.

Wait, DM2H was loved by critics,...

didn't know that.

Anyway the existence/practice of Oscar bait shows the flaws of movie critics.

^ what I mean is OB movies are often made to please a specific "high cIass" review audience, and have been tailoered towards them.

They get great reviews & awards but are often not enjoyable to watch for a majority of people.

Wait, DM2H was loved by critics,...

didn't know that.

Anyway the existence/practice of Oscar bait shows the flaws of movie critics.

^ what I mean is OB movies are often made to please a specific "high cIass" review audience, and have been tailoered towards them.

They get great reviews & awards but are often not enjoyable to watch for a majority of people.

dercoo

Critics and movie-goer's rarely agree ;)

While I've never seen Drag me to Hell, I will say this; critics are not the lords of the film. They don't decide whether or not a movie is good or bad. That is entirely up to an individual's perspective.

This mentality that people have that opinions can be facts has been bugging me since the since the beginning of time.

it was alright imo, but kinda weak as a horror movie..

i'm never gonna get scared by a horror movie, i'm a grown man...but what i do want from a horror flick is to be at least freaked out

the only movie i've seen in the last couple of years that freaked the s*** out of me was Insidious

The WHOLE POINT was that is was a comedy!! It wasn't that scary! Creepy? Yes. Frightening? No! If you fail to see it as the farce that it was intended to be, your not understanding it. It was marketed as a straight horror film and the general public went in expecting that and left the theatre dissapointed. However, the critics knew it wasn't serious and appreciated it for that. Watch Evil Dead or Army of Darkness. It's more in line with those films than it is most horror flicks.

to me sound effects in this type of movie is good but if you take away the sound, even kids can go to bed at night.

I liked it. I wasn't expecting a serious horror movie, but instead one that poked fun at itself and was intended to make you laugh as much as it was to make you jump. The people who bash the film for not being scary either watched the movie with the wrong expectations or don't understand what a parody is.PernicioEnigma

[QUOTE="PernicioEnigma"]I liked it. I wasn't expecting a serious horror movie, but instead one that poked fun at itself and was intended to make you laugh as much as it was to make you jump. The people who bash the film for not being scary either watched the movie with the wrong expectations or don't understand what a parody is.Rekunta

[QUOTE="Rekunta"][QUOTE="PernicioEnigma"]I liked it. I wasn't expecting a serious horror movie, but instead one that poked fun at itself and was intended to make you laugh as much as it was to make you jump. The people who bash the film for not being scary either watched the movie with the wrong expectations or don't understand what a parody is.PernicioEnigma

sugoi monogatari onii-chan

Most people watching it in the theater my friend and I saw it in seemed to hate it, mainly because it wasn't really a straight up horror film.

Me? It was exactly what I wanted it to be. I knew what to expect and got it. I guess most people just don't know what a Sam Raimi horror film is, nor what to expect from one. smh.

It was a good movie, but Evil Dead 2 is better in every facet.

LostProphetFLCL

It is part comedy, that's how Sam Raimi does things. Look at this piece of Raimi right here. Very typical of him. Horror + Comedy dancing with each other constantly.

I went in watching it knowing it's a Sam Raimi film, and I LOVED it.

The reason why most my friends didn't like it was because they thought it was going to be like Exorcist or Hellraiser. Movie geeks like myself will know Raimi's style of horror-meets-comedy, but the average person will see the jokes and get pissed like my friends did.

I really like the movie and give it a 9/10. Really fun movie to have on in the background while you're reading, the dialog/sound effects are funny as hell.

Everything Sam Raimi does is awesome!!!

I didn't like it,but I guess I should just STFU.

Lol,critics are boring.

Most people watching it in the theater my friend and I saw it in seemed to hate it, mainly because it wasn't really a straight up horror film.

Me? It was exactly what I wanted it to be. I knew what to expect and got it. I guess most people just don't know what a Sam Raimi horror film is, nor what to expect from one. smh.

TreyoftheDead

For a PG-13 movie, Drag Me to Hell was outstanding.

I don't understand what anyone could have against it. It's not trying to be Evil Dead. Why compare the two?

It's about a gypsy curse. Just accept that and go with it.

What about Crash? Pretty much universally praised by the critics, yet it's widely regarded as one of the most underving Oscar films in the history of cinema.

Verge_6

I watched some of that movie, I just couldn't stand it anymore so I changed the channel. That movie was just boring and inane.

Didn't really care for it. The last Raimi movie I liked was Spiderman II.

Didnt find DMTH either scary or entertaining and found it a bit predictable.

Liked it better than Crash though (previously mentioned).

I liked The Mist a lot! Except they could have toned down the religious lady. She was WAY too annoying

I loved it, it was a great movie, almost a tribute to the cornball fests of the 70s and 80s.

Great plot with over-the-top acting, great special effects, lots of gore, and it was both hilarious and scary.

I don't think a lot of people "got" the movie; it was not taking itself seriously at all, and I think people went in expecting some dark and serious horror movie like we have, unfortunately, gotten used to.

or maybe the critics are 100% wrong, but you just agree with them? aren't opinions fun.

Dr_Manfattan

the difference between critics and the public is that critics are generally A.) educated about film and film history, and B.) more objective in their assessments.

i liked it